


Antique Dreams (version 1.0)

by Destiny_Apocalypse



Series: Ashanna Lavellan Canon [3]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, POV Solas, and then fluff because I'm a sap, angst sorta, emotional smut, feeeeelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-07
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 07:11:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4091815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destiny_Apocalypse/pseuds/Destiny_Apocalypse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inquisitor Lavellan has been avoiding Solas since they returned from Adamant Fortress. It bothers him more than he cares to admit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Four days after their return from the Western Approach, she came to him in his sleeping quarters. 

Solas didn't often use them, as he spent much of his waking and non waking hours in the rotunda. There were times, however, when he desired privacy for his notes and sketches, and times when he simply needed to escape Dorian's incessant pestering. In this case he had sought refuge due to the latter, choosing to sketch some of the sights they encountered in the fade while he reclined in the simple wooden bed that his room provided. 

He started at the timid knock that echoed in the small room, until he sensed the familiar pull of his magic calling to him from the anchor as it often did. The Inquisitor had seemed particularly disturbed after the events at Adamant and spoke few words to him on the journey back. He felt it appropriate to give her the space she seemed to require, so he had not elected to seek her out for his own self-serving desire for her presence. Despite that, he felt her absence keenly these past few days, having been spoiled by her previously rapt attention when it came to discussing the fade or other matters of the arcane. It was a spirited side of herself she did not often show, and he had felt privileged to be the one to draw that from her. 

In truth, the lack of her companionship when she had bestowed it upon him so readily before, stung. His relief at her finally seeking him out manifested only in the increased pace of his heart rate as he carefully schooled his features into a neutral expression, setting aside the bound parchment and ink. 

Solas raised himself slowly, making his way to the door to open it. Ashanna's amber eyes met his own when the door opened, and he could not help but marvel at the way such a small creature could pin him with her gaze as she did right now. 

"Inquisitor. Something I can assist you with?"

"May I come in, please?" He could no more deny the troubled look in her eyes than draw breath, and he moved aside to allow her to enter. Despite his trepidation at her obvious unease, he was unable to resist an opportunity to be closer to her. 

"You are always welcome here, _vhenan._ " He replied, the endearment releasing as soon as the rest of the Inquisition was shut behind his door and his wards. She seemed to relax slightly at his words, and she moved over to the only piece of furniture in the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. 

"I'm surprised Josephine didn't get you a more lavish room," Ashanna remarked after a moment of looking around the small space, her eyes falling on the neatly folded wools and furs he kept on a wooden shelf tacked to the wall.

"She attempted to," Solas said, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards slightly. "But this room suited my needs far better than the more opulent rooms on the upper floors. The close proximation this room has to the rotunda makes it more than adequate for the few times I need to use it." 

"I suppose it's an upgrade from sleeping in the wilderness as a hermit, in any case?" She smiled shyly at him. 

"I could say the same of you, could I not? _I_ at least indulged in beds at the occasional tavern I'd pass through." 

Ashanna smirked, brushing a dark strand of hair from her face. "I can't argue with that. I spent most of my life sharing a sleeping space outdoors with halla, so any room with four walls by default is grander than what I'm used to." 

He chuckled at that, a genuine sound that earned a wider smile from her that reached her eyes and eased his nerves. He settled down next to her on the bed as there was no where else to sit in his simple room, the wood creaking slightly at the added weight. Their knees brushed together as he realized how close she was to him at that moment, and he took that time to study her features in greater detail. In their first meetings he had given little thought to her physical appearance, caring only for watching how she dealt with the power of his mark on her hand. He had considered her appearance pleasant at best, but save for his magic tied to her body, otherwise unremarkable. 

He was unsure when his perception of her began to shift. Certainly her declaration of protection in the founding days of the Inquisition, when she had barely escaped execution herself was a turning point. It was an attitude he never expected from a Dalish and she began to challenge his preconceived opinions on their behavior that were based on his previous interactions. He was fascinated with her, as she clearly was with him during their late night conversations in his cabin, when she shyly asked him to speak of his journey's into the fade. When he spoke of matters that did not paint her people well she not curse him as a liar, a fool or a madman, as her people before her had done. 

He had wanted to earn her trust at the very least, to convince her to give him the orb after it was recovered, but this nebulous _thing_ developing between them was more than that. He was no longer capable of seeing her simply as a means to an end and that had required…considerations. 

Now he was seeing her remarkable spirit for what it truly was, making her far lovelier in his eyes than any woman he’d known in his long and sometimes sordid past. Solas found his gaze lingering on the pleasant slope of her cheekbones, her sun-kissed skin, the clusters of freckles that dotted her face and shoulders. He found himself wondering if those freckles spanned the rest of her body. That particular line of thought sent a small tendril curling inside him that was more than inappropriate for this situation, and he clamped down on his wandering thoughts immediately. 

"I imagine you didn't come here just to peek into my sleeping habits though." He said finally, clearing his throat. 

"No. I-" Ashanna trailed off, seeming to need a moment to gather the words in her head. "I wanted to apologize. I should have come to see you sooner." 

“You hardly need to apologize for your actions. As much as I enjoy your company, you are leading an Inquisition and have duties that require your attention."

"It wasn't my Inquisition duties that kept me away." Her eyes darkened as her expression turned serious. 

"It was a trying experience for all of us who walked through the nightmare demon's realm. And you were the one to deal with the fallout of the actions of the wardens; it would be burdensome for anyone. For me, it was more fascinating than-"

"I was avoiding you on purpose, Solas," she blurted. 

He didn't respond at first, as he was surprised at the sudden flare of emotion in his chest. The thought that she didn't want to be around him hurt him more than he would have expected. 

"The nightmare demon." She continued, staring at a spot on the wall rather than him. Her eyes finally flickered back to his, the anguish behind them constricting his throat. "Called you _harellan._ " 

Ah. Of course. 

_Harellan._ Traitor to one's blood. Vile trickster. One of the most offensive words that a Dalish could hurl at another. In his case the insult ran far deeper than she could imagine. 

His chest rapidly grew tight as his heart fluttered wildly within his ribcage, but he controlled his features to betray no reaction that she would find perceptible. He should have realized it was merely a matter of time before she asked about it; even the broken language spoken by the Dalish would be able to pick up on that word, even if he was reasonably certain the dialect spoken by the demon would have masked the true meaning of its words to her. 

"Ah," he breathed, looking down at his knees rather than her face. He was silent a moment to contemplate his next words. He did not desire to lie so directly to her, yet he saw no way around it. Certainly he could not utilize the truth.

But yet again she surprised him; bringing her hand up in a sweeping motion to get his attention. 

"You don't have to say anything. I'm not going to force you to tell me if you don't want to," She murmured quietly. "I mean, I wanted to at first. But it wouldn't be right." 

"Ashanna..." 

"I was upset. That word…” she hesitated. “ It brought up some unpleasant memories for me.” Her lower lip quivered while her fingers absent-mindedly picked at the leather of her leggings. "You're not responsible for what happened though." 

"You show me a kindness I do not deserve," Solas said quietly, his voice rough from the effort to quell his rising discomfort. 

"Don't say that!" She exclaimed heatedly, turning to look at him directly and raising on her knees to bring her head level with his. Her slim hands grasped the side of his face to turn his gaze onto hers, letting him see the same determination in her face he saw months ago in haven, when she vowed to keep an apostate stranger from harm. 

"I don’t know what occurred in your past to cause you to wander alone. But, your reasons are your own and I will not demand an explanation if you do not seek to give one willingly."

“You do not know-“

I won’t let you die alone, _lethallin,_ ” She whispered fiercely, and if he hadn’t already been sitting Solas was certain his knees would have buckled. 

It was a promise as honest and pure as her own affections. Solas hated himself more in that moment than he ever had for all his other mistakes, for allowing her to make such a promise she would never be able to keep. It was more than being _elvhen_ and having such a disparate lifespan; she knew not of what she was promising to the man who birthed the word harellan. 

He would die alone. This fact was inevitable. 

But he would not die unloved. That was far, far more than he deserved. Indulging himself with her was purely selfish; would she offer her feelings as freely if she knew his true nature? Would she offer her affections to the evil trickster that was responsible for her people living like shadows in the forests of a world dominated by shemlen? 

_She might,_ a small part of him whispered. _She would hold you and call you by your true name. She may not be beholden by a childhood cautionary tale._

He was all too aware of such tales; repulsive stories the Dalish told of the Dread Wolf tricking and seducing young Dalish virgins. Ashanna would of course have been subjected to such stories growing up; and as open minded as she was, could he really expect her to think to be anything but betrayed if she were to know the truth of his nature? 

She would be furious at best, terrified and hostile towards him at worst. The idea of her cowering in fear at his feet was the one that sickened him the most, and more than once a conniving demon seized upon that image during some of his darker times in the fade. 

_It would be kinder in the long run._ But he had been so alone, for so long, and each curious question and warm smile had chipped away at his defenses until he was raw and starving for any scrap of affection she would offer him. She had a power over him that he craved as much as it terrified him.

Solas didn’t recognize the strangled sound that escaped his throat until she caught it with her mouth, her lips colliding with his in a kiss that stole the air from his lungs. When she pulled back he could feel a wetness on his cheeks he knew was not his own. 

And then he was kissing her again, because it was the only thing he could think of to stop her from shedding tears for his sake. A sob broke free when they parted for breath so he kissed her harder to silence it, bruising her lips as they tumbled back to the bed. He kissed her like a man drowning, desperate and needy for the relief she offered like air as she clung to him. He kissed away the tears forming at the corners of her eyes and followed the wet trails on her cheek, until he was licking away the saltiness on her red and swollen lips. 

But even after erasing the evidence of her tears with his mouth, he was unable to stop the decline in his self control. Her hands came up to clutch at the back of his head and neck as she met his desperate press of lips with her own, her tongue sliding along the seam of his mouth and making him shudder in her grasp. 

"Solas," she breathed as he moved his attention to the side of her neck, licking the pulse that was jumping wildly at her throat. The breathless hitch in her voice sent a jolt of pure desire running down the length of his spine that left him dizzy, wanting. Her hips lifted against his, rubbing against his rapidly hardening erection, and it was all he could do to control the instinct to rut against her like an animal. He pressed his forehead against hers and sucked in a deep, shuddering breath to collect himself. 

This was...this was happening all too fast. They were too far too emotionally compromised to take this step at this time, and furthermore, it wasn't right for him to-

"Stop thinking," Ashanna pleaded, holding him behind the ears tightly as if she was afraid he would dart away at any moment. "I want this. I want you." 

_"Vhenan,_ " He croaked, the endearment both a warning and a plea to continue. Her words brought a flush to his cheeks; her desire for him was flattering in a way he thought he was long past. 

_“Isalan hima sa i’na._ " She replied, angling her head up so she could leave a trail of soft kisses along his throat that made him shiver through his woolen tunic. 

It was the _elvhen_ on her tongue that broke his meager resistance; the ancient words making his blood sing for their lost homeland where such words were spoken by every elf. 

_“Juveran na su tarasyl,“_ he whispered hoarsely, his hesitation melting away as he claimed her lips once more.

~~~~~~

Elvish Translations all from Project Elvhen

 _Isalan hima sa i’na._ \- I lust to become one with you  
 _Juveran na su tarasyl_   - I will take you to the sky


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lots of smut in this chapter! Way more than I originally planned on writing. Whelp...

In this age and ages past, though many had tried, this young Dalish woman alone held the power to bring the Dread Wolf to his knees. It was a gift he would not squander; he would lay worship to every freckle, every curve and inch of her body until she begged him to stop. No matter what came to pass in the future, it was important to him to ensure she would look back upon their time together to remember Fen'Harel as a devoted and attentive lover, and not some predatory animal come to steal her away in the night. 

He was not a man who was beholden to his baser urges. Sex was enjoyable to him but had never been a necessity, and if Ashanna had not pursued anything physical it would not have lessened the relationship they had begun forming. His feelings for her ran far deeper than the physical and carnal, and yet, to feel his body and heart respond so strongly to her touch was...electrifying. His blood coursed through his veins, molten heat that slithered through his body and wrapped its tendrils around him and dragged him down and down until he was drowning in the mere presence of her. 

He'd missed this, this feeling of being touched and wanted simply for himself. There was a refreshing lack of artifice and performance that permeated most trysts in Arlathan, where one behaved as if on stage, never revealing their inner desires. There was none of that here; Ashanna adored him as he adored her. 

He wished he could express how it meant to him to be lay so bare to another soul. 

She breathed his name, the _wrong_ name but it was unimportant when she was wrapping her limbs around him to pull him closer, drawing his mouth back to hers. He dragged his lips lightly over hers, drinking her small gasp when he parted her legs with his thigh. Her nails dug into the skin on the back of his neck, not hard enough to cause pain but enough to tear a groan from deep in his throat at the contact. The sharp sensation grounded him and pulled him from broken memories of Arlathan; she was _real_ and she was here now, in his arms. Her grip on him relaxed, concerned perhaps that she had hurt him. 

"No," he rasped, reassuring, dipping his head to pull the sensitive skin on the side of her neck between his teeth, a red mark raising at the spot where his lips touched her. She whimpered, the sound impossibly adorable and he could not stop his own groan in reaction. He relished the sounds she made, genuine in her surprise and enjoyment for his actions as if she herself could scarcely believe she was capable of feeling in such a way. 

Moving his lips down the smooth column of her neck he pressed a small amount of magic into her skin with each gentle nip of teeth; tingling energy that sank into her skin and pores. A mage of the current age might recognize it’s similarities to a rejuvenation spell, but it was far more complex in in the way it affected a body's sensitivity. The moan that escaped her made him acutely aware of his erection trapped between their bodies and the inside of his breeches becoming damp from his arousal. He ignored it in favor of capturing her mouth and kissing her deeply. 

Her pleasure was more important than satisfying his needs. He had waited centuries and would continue to wait until she was incoherent and overwhelmed. 

This proved more difficult than he anticipated when she ground her hips against his and pressed her head into his shoulder, mewling. He was forced to pull himself back slightly, lest she end him right there. 

_How long it has been, Dread Wolf, for you to come so soon from the roll of a pretty elf's hips. Pathetic._

Sitting back on his haunches, Solas sucked in a deep breath in an attempt to calm his rapidly beating heart. She met his gaze with clouded eyes, her lips dark and swollen, hair mussed, and her faced flushed from arousal. The slight tremor of her body as the spell he cast winding its way through her body. The sight was...it was more potent than he could have imagined. And he _had_ imagined it if he were to be honest with himself, in this very bed, in the fade, anywhere he could let his mind wander and roam when he was supposed to be planning for retrieving the orb and what would come after. 

She indeed was becoming the distraction that he feared. In this moment however, he could not bring himself to worry much about it. 

Sitting up so her weight was rested on the crook of her elbows, she inclined her head at the other elf. The glaze behind her eyes had faded slightly as a look of concern crossed her features. Solas realized he'd been lost in introspection for several seconds, merely looking at her. He could only imagine what she was thinking after he jerked away so suddenly from her. 

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" She asked softly. "We don't have to-"

How simple it was for her to care for him, and think of his comfort. But he would not have her doubt his intentions for her. 

_"Vhenan,"_ He interrupted, his tongue darting out to wet his dry lips. _"Jutuan ma ir rosas’da’din, ma tel’aman melin."_

Her eyes widened, whether from the harsh timbre of his voice or the vulgar words he was unsure; though the dilation in her pupils made him swell with an entirely masculine pride that he could affect her in such a way. He reached for her, sliding back into her arms and angling his hips so they were no longer so lewdly pressed together. It was all the more better to increase his focus while his long fingers began to pluck at the fastenings of her tunic, each button undone revealing tantalizing glimpses of the expanse of brown skin underneath. When the last button fell unclipped, he was gratified to find that her freckles did indeed span the entirety of her body as he had posited earlier, and he couldn't help but release a breathy sort of laugh born of true delight at the woman in his grasp. 

"You find something funny?" She frowned, and Solas couldn't stop the smile that formed when she scrunched her nose up at him in mock offense. Her tunic hung loosely from her body while she fixed him with a coy look that created an arresting sight indeed. 

"I find you far too clothed, in actuality." He pulled at the jacket, lifting it from her shoulders to toss aside. This left her in a scrap of cloth that wound around her chest, which she quickly reached behind her to undo. The fabric cascaded around her, revealing her small but perfectly freckled breasts. He swallowed, finding his throat dry, parched. 

"I could say the same of you," Ashanna pulled at the belts at his waist, drawing them from his body and sending them in the same direction as her clothing. Solas carefully drew off his jawbone pendant and set it aside on the small table next to to the bed. This small distraction allowed her clever hands to delve underneath the woolen fabric of his tunic, creating trails of fire on the bare skin of his stomach that made his cock twitch noticeably in his breeches. When he pulled the article of clothing over his shoulders and discarded it, he could see where her downward gaze now focused on. Heat blossomed in his cheeks at the clear hunger glimmering in her amber eyes. Flattering as it was, he had other matters to attend to. Gently grasping her chin, he pulled her attention back up to his face and and fixed her with a knowing smirk at the blush that burned the tips of her ears at having been caught staring. 

The last thing he wanted was for her to feel embarrassed, so he pinned her back to the bed to roll atop her, grazing her neck with his teeth as his hands begin an earnest exploration of her body. She was a vocal creature, each ragged sigh and whimper directing him to where and how she liked to be touched. He palmed her breasts, urging himself to remain gentle when she writhed underneath him and her nipples hardened between his fingers. He sucked underneath her ear, breathing wetly into the side of her neck and his pulse pounding so loud he was certain she can hear it. 

He lowered his mouth down the rest of her, following the line of her throat to her collarbone and then to the aching peaks of her breasts. A slow, long lick across a copper nipple produced a full body shudder and hiss between clenched teeth that had her gripping the bedsheets. 

Ah. So he had found a weakness of hers, one that he was all to eager to exploit. He hummed against her skin before grasping one pert breast, drawing the nipple between his lips to suck on the peak until she was keening underneath him. He repeated the action on her other breast, alternating between laving the nipple with his tongue and rolling it between his teeth. When her back began to arch, he bit the nub gently. 

"Solas!" She pleaded, panting, unable to articulate her needs. She did not need to however, as he was well aware of what she was asking. 

His other hand moved across the tense muscles of her belly, grazing the tops of her leggings briefly before delving underneath. Her legs parted automatically to allow his hand room to cup her beneath her smallclothes, feeling the slickness inside coat his fingers instantly. 

"So wet already?" he breathed, licking the valley in between her breasts. 

“You have that effect on me," Ashanna mused, lifting her hips so he could drag her smalls and breeches down. She lay bare before him, and he allowed his gaze to wander her freely. 

“You are so beautiful,” he told her, because she was. 

She snorted. “Sweet talker.” 

“If you like. Though after having this newfound opportunity to consider your features, I merely am concluding the obvious." 

"That's..." she trailed off, breaking eye contact with him to look away for a second, blushing. She was not used to receiving compliments. He would have to rectify that. Instead of completing her thought she wriggled against him, pulling his hand back to it's position between her legs.

"Touch me, please," She asked, setting her jaw in a face expression that brokered no arguments. 

_"Ma Nuvenin."_

Slipping his hand back to the juncture between her thighs, Solas brushed her lightly with his knuckles, the smell of her arousal strong and thick as he parted the folds. He breathed it in deeply before letting a single finger slip inside her; her slickness allowing him to completely bury the digit inside up to his knuckle. She grunted as he slide it out and then back in, and after ensuring she was in no discomfort, added a second finger. His thumb pressed against her clit, applying pressure on the spot and tearing a pure, unfiltered moan from her that he'd been waiting for. He was thankful that he'd had the foresight to set a ward that shielded his room from prying ears. Not that he'd expected...this, but it was simply a result of old habits. Fortunate for him, with as vocal as the Dalish in his arms was. 

"Yes, _vhen'an'ara,_ " he said, his voice rough and harsh in his throat "Let me hear you sing. No one will hear us outside this room." As if to encourage her, he circled his thumb around the tiny spot that brought her so much pleasure, bringing forth a series of choked gasps. 

He leaned in closer to lick a nipple before moving up, kissing her shoulder while his fingers continued to move in and out of her. When his mouth reached her earlobe he dipped his fingers and channeled a small bit of of his mana to them, allowing a tightly controlled burst of his magic. The effect was immediate; she stilled in his grasp as she felt the magic push deeper inside her, her body tensing around him while she adjusted to the new sensation. 

"Elgar'nan!" She cursed through clenched teeth, her thighs tightening around his arm. "I've never seen..." she gasped as he scissored his fingers inside her. "...magic like that."

"I would be happy to discuss it with you, though you seem a bit preoccupied at the current moment." 

She laughed at that, a bright sound of joy that warmed his heart to see her so carefree and relaxed after the events at Adamant. The fact that it also made her breasts bounce at the movement was a pleasing benefit. Her hips were pushing up against him now, and he clutched the back of her neck to keep her in place. 

"I would-ah!" She cut herself off, clutching him hard behind the shoulders while he pulled the point of her ear in his mouth. He increased the pressure on her clit ever so slightly, feeling in the tremble of her body how close she was to release. Her orgasm was a tightly wound spool of thread, his fingers curling inside to draw it out; pulling and pulling as her body arched and trembled in anticipation. 

His fingers stopped, slipping out of her completely with an obscene wet sound. He swallowed her cry of frustration with a brief sweep of his lips before shifting downwards to sling her legs over his shoulders. She stiffened initially, but didn't protest once his tongue danced over the wet folds and his mouth was pressed firmly against her lower body. 

The taste of her was...it was enough to make him dizzy. He lazily dragged his tongue through her wetness before fastening his lips over her clit and sucking hard. 

Ashanna arched her hips almost completely off the bed as she came with a loud gasp, and Solas reached behind to support her waist as she did so, drawing out each moment of her release until she melted back into him, boneless and shuddering. 

"Creators," she sighed through her erratic breathing. "Solas, that was-" 

She stopped as she realized he had not ceased his ministrations, as he began licking anew, using the flat of his tongue across the oversensitive flesh. She tensed in his grasp like a coiled spring, hands splaying across his scalp in protest. 

"You can't-I can't" She seemed to have difficulty forming words, and Solas privately felt pleased that his years in uthenera had not affected his skills to leave someone in such a state. 

His head lifted only briefly to fix her with a severe expression. "Was my elvish misunderstood? I was quite serious with my earlier declaration. Now I suggest you lay back, as your back may get uncomfortable curled up like that." 

The _sound_ she made brought a smile to his lips as he pressed his face between her thighs once more. 

~~~~

Elvish Translations  
Again, all from project elvhen/bioware 

_Jutuan ma ir rosas’da’din, ma tel’aman melin._ \- I will make you cum so much that you won’t remember your name. 

_Ma Nuvenin_ \- As you wish

_Vhen’an’ara_ \- Heart’s desire. Lit. journey of the heart


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just...smut. This was more than a bit of a challenge to finish; several parts were rewritten because getting solas' voice just right was pretty difficult! In the game he has such a lyrical way of talking that I tried to emulate but it just wasn't working well. 
> 
> There's gonna be some boring headcanon stuff for Ashanna coming up. I really liked one of the dialogue options early on with Josephine when she asks about your relationship with your clan; one of them basically says that they would not be happy to hear of you becoming herald, and would not be sorry to see you gone. I sort of ran with that for Ashanna for her character concept.

Solas worked his tongue against her methodically, taking great care to touch her gently and move around the sensitive flesh that was flushed red and raw under him. Light, teasing strokes traced along her slit, beginning its path anew just as the tip of his tongue brushed her swollen clit. Each time a sweep of his tongue completed its upward stroke, her hips gave a shudder that reverberated through her whole body while her thighs clenched helplessly around his head. 

He could spend a whole lifetime between her legs, driving her to unfathomable heights of pleasure, finally allowing himself to indulge in the relief she offered to a foolish and lonely man. Though he was not deserving of her adoration, he would lay worship to her body and spirit the way any _elvhen_ would have done in the days of Arlathan, despite their austere surroundings. Her eyes fluttered beneath her eyelids, her breasts rose and fell with labored breaths as the glint of the candlelight caught the ink on her forehead.

The _vallaslin_ troubled him, though he did his best to put it from his mind. He had never taken a woman to bed who bore the markings, and he had to remind himself that they meant something different in this age. She was not _elvhen._ She was not a slave. She was Dalish. 

She was here of her own free will. And she wanted this. _Wanted_ him. 

It was quite remarkable when he really considered it; this was a woman who spent her first week in the Inquisition sleeping in the stables because it was more familiar than the Andrastians that had imprisoned her, and had eschewed the woolen socks and boots they provided her for over a week until her toes threatened frostbite. At that time she had seem every bit the Dalish savage the humans considered her. 

He had considered her as such, at the beginning, to his great regret. When she lay unconscious in the dungeon his eyes had fallen on the markings and he had assumed her as arrogant as every other Dalish that had dismissed him as a flat-ear madman. He'd expected no different from this Dalish keeper in training. 

Oh, but how she had proven him wrong. Her stare was wild and intense, as one who grew up in the wilderness, but it was merely a mask for a quiet and soft individual with an inquisitive soul that resonated deeply with him. It was merely a shame it had taken him so long to see it in her, after their first few unpleasant interactions. He saw he needed more tact with his words, as she had come to him willingly and with an open mind. It was not something he went out of his way to do, but he conceded to himself that he need not antagonize her needlessly, if he were to earn her trust in order to secure the orb. 

He had kept a healthy, polite distance from the others in the Inquisition and took great care to be as unassuming as possible. Most people who looked at him simply saw what they wanted to see; a severe elven hedge mage who cared more for dreams than reality, humorless and bereft of emotion. He did little do dissuade others of this opinion. 

He would be a ghost flitting through an unnatural reality. Observing, but not truly a part of this broken age. 

Yet Ashanna had seen the humor and passion that so many overlooked, pulling silently on the strings to his mask until it slipped further with each passing day in response to a kindred spirit such as hers. He found he had appreciated the reaction he got when he showed them to her; the interest reflected in her eyes when he spoke of spirit friends he'd known or discussed magical theory. Delivering books on various arcane subjects for him to the rotunda without being prompted. The heartfelt relief on her face to see him when she regained consciousness after the fall of Haven as he healed the frostbite from her body. He wanted her to notice him. The want turned into an ache until he could not even seek relief in the fade, for his emotions churned inside him in a murky, turbulent mess that was far too likely to attract the attention of demons. 

She was real. And when she touched him she pulled pieces of his spirit with her and bound him to this reality. The very thought of it rocked him to his core; it threatened everything he'd put into play. 

Fingernails dug into his scalp and broke him from his melancholic thoughts, bringing him back to the task at hand, so to speak, as she began to press harder on his head to urge his tongue to move faster. It appeared her earlier sensitivity was now being overtaken by her pleasure beginning to crest again. 

"Ashanna. Do not rush me." He murmured from between her legs, hooking his hands under her ass to pull her closer to his mouth. His tongue traced their earlier path along her flesh. 

"But...you-" She stammered, and Solas smiled into her skin at the distraction in her voice. Whatever she was going to say trailed off into a hitched moan when he licked her forcefully, pressing his face harshly into her flesh and creating a beautiful arch in her back. Still, he avoided the spot she was assuredly guiding his head towards. "You tease; I don't think I can-" 

"The ancient elves made love for years, sometimes decades on end. I am certain you can endure longer than this, vhenan."

"You saw _that_ in the fade?" She gasped as his nose brushed her clit, and he couldn't suppress the chuckle at the wonder in her voice even with her legs spread before him so. 

"I have witnessed many aspects of ancient elven culture in the fade. This includes memories of carnal passion strong enough for spirits to remember the emotion between the People that lived there once before." 

That was not a lie at least, such things were possible to witness in the fade for those who knew where to look. He did not wish for her to linger on that line of thought however, so he grasped her ankles instead and pulled her legs upwards, letting her calves rest on his shoulders while his tongue found its way back to her clit, finally giving her the pressure and rhythm she so desired. 

No matter how her hips fought his grip, nor when her pleading turned into gasped curses did he slow his pace. Her body arched and trembled from the tension snapping through her body, and Solas found he greatly enjoyed how demonstrative she was with her pleasure. 

_“Elgar’nan, ar garemah, ar garemah!“_

She cried out every name of her elven pantheon as she shattered beneath his tongue, though of course omitting the name of the one actually responsible for her pleasure, Solas noted dryly. 

Still, he did not stop, holding her through her trembling and starting anew until she broke beneath him once, twice more. When her bud was too painful to touch directly his fingers slid back into her, twisting magic around them to pulse; tendrils of magic curling gently inside her until she came clenching around his fingers. Only then did he withdraw to slide up beside her, nuzzling the column of her neck to lick the light trail of sweat sliding down. 

She turned towards him, delirious and glazed with sated lust he'd seen countless times before of a women truly and thoroughly pleasured. Seeing it on Ashanna however, was far more gratifying and he found a smile came to his face effortlessly, feeling every bit the lovesick fool he knew he was. 

She let out a weak laugh at the sight of him, nose crinkling as she reached up to wipe some of the slick that still ran from his chin. Her tongue darted out to taste herself on her fingertips, pink and wet. Something about the image stirred his passion until it boiled, overflowing through his veins, and the ragged moan that slipped from his throat surprised even him. He reached for her on reflex, gathering her in his arms to press their naked skin together. He kissed her hotly, devouring her with his mouth until she was gasping and writhing against him once more. Her shaking hands reached between them to pull at the lacings on his breeches, clumsy in her eagerness to get him unclothed. 

When he was freed from the troublesome cloth he parted from her momentarily to discard his leggings and smallclothes, kicking them to another corner of the room in a decidedly inelegant motion. Ashanna closed her fist around him and he was the one to gasp now at the pure need that rolled through him, his hips bucking involuntarily into her grip as he pressed his forehead into her shoulder. His head spun and he took a deep breath to steady himself. Void take him, it had been so long since he’d been touched in such a way. 

“I want you,” Ashanna’s breath ghosted hot and wet against him as her lips found the point of his ear. She pushed her hips against his, letting his cock slide up against the wetness between her thighs. All it would take was a quick jerk of his hips and he could slide inside her easily. He wanted to; his whole body vibrated with unspent need as it desired nothing more than to push into her and spend himself between her legs; making love for hours until they were exhausted. Although such an outcome was still very likely to take place this evening. 

Grasping her waist, he slide them down so that she lay atop of him still with his back resting against the harsh woolen sheets. Her mouth fell open in a silent gasp as the head of his cock pressed against her, and he took the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth briefly, withdrawing when she chased him with her own tongue. He couldn't have stopped the grin that spread on his face if he tried at the frustrated sound Ashanna let out when he pulled back. Her revenge was swift in the form of her teeth pressing into the side of his neck, hard enough to leave a mark. 

"The Herald of Andraste marking her apostate lover? What would your faithful think?" He chided her mockingly. 

"They already refer to us as rabbits that have nothing to do but rut and multiply, so we might as well play the part," Ashanna scoffed.

"A part I would play with you gladly," Solas placed his hands on either side of her head, kissing her deeply. Still, a troublesome thought began to wind through his head at her words, and he broke the kiss to cough awkwardly. 

"Ah. In regards to...multiplying, perhaps we should...." 

"Oh. I suppose we should have discussed that. Do not worry, it's been taken care of." 

He raised an eyebrow at her, and she sighed as if put upon to explain further. 

"I asked Leiliana to procure some witherstalk for me. Discretely, I assure you." She kissed the tip of his nose. "I've been taking a potion for a few weeks." 

"I see." He allowed his hands to roam her backside briefly before chuckling softly. "A few weeks then? You surprise me." 

"I am nothing if not prepared." She arched herself on him, sighing blissfully. "Creators, will you please get in me already?" 

_"Ma nuvenin."_

Reaching between them, he adjusted himself so he could push into her slowly. She took over then, her hips pinning him and slowly sinking down onto his erection. He trembled with the effort it took not to move a muscle while she adjusted to him, focusing all his attention to the way she worried her lip between her teeth and the flush of freckles trailing down her body instead of the wet, warm tightness that was surrounding him. He could tell she was still sensitive from their earlier actions from the taut way she was holding her body and the line of tension crossing her forehead. 

_“Ha’mi’in, ma’lath.”_ He urged, pressing his mouth to the side of her neck. A small burst of rejuvenation magic flowed from his fingertips, soothing and gentle and making her moan as it flowed into her. 

Letting out a shaky exhale, she relaxed her body and sank the rest of the way down, hissing between clenched teeth as he glided all the way inside her. His eyes raked down her body and the spot where they were joined.

Then her forehead was pressed against his, one arm braced on his bicep and another wrapped behind his neck to hold him close while her hips rolled against him experimentally and drew mewling sounds from the both of them. 

“Alright?” He murmured into her dark hair, damp with sweat as he kissed her temple. 

“You’re so…” She hesitated, blushing. “It’s deeper in me than I expected,” she groaned, wriggling in his lap as she sought to adjust herself. 

“Flatterer,” He chuckled, dropping his hands to her waist to steady her so he could thrust ever so gently up into her. The moan and the motion it induced in her body caused the mood melt into something decidedly more primal, and for a while no more words were said between them except for the sigh of a name between heavy pants and the press of lips as she rode him. Her movements were slow and hesitant at first, almost frustratingly so as she struggled to find a rhythm that was suitable for the both of them. A couple of deep thrusts underneath her and his hands pressing on her hips allowed them to meet into a compatible synchronicity that was pleasing to the both of them. A rhythm that was both controlled and languid, urgent in its pace but allowing them to simply enjoy being connected so intimately rather than just rutting against one another, chasing their release. 

Though engaging in something so base also had an undeniable appeal the more he considered it. Perhaps it would be something for them to indulge in at a later date. 

For the first time in a very, very long time Solas found his mind uncluttered and ground very firmly in the present as his attention was consumed entirely by the woman in his lap. The soft skin yielding under his hands was particularly fascinating, as they roamed the planes of her body with wild abandon; eager to touch her for the simple pleasure of being able to. His staff-callused fingers danced along her spine, watching the goosebumps forming on her skin despite the heat in the room. Their eyes met, her gaze burning him instantly with heavy intent. 

"I love you." 

The sudden confession drew the air from his lungs; his mouth opened but only a choked sound emerged. Words however, were insufficient to express his feelings towards her. Instead he slid his hand up to brush her hand aside, grasping her face gently to press his mouth to hers. She moaned into the kiss, the sound vibrating into his skin and heightening his desire for her. 

"You are more important to me than I could have imagined," Solas breathed once they parted for air. "I..." 

The air felt heavy with all he left unsaid; words formed in his throat then died on his tongue. So much he wanted to tell her, but an uncertainly churned in his gut at the thought and his inability to express himself. She deserved so much more, deserved the truth, deserved someone better... 

Supporting her back, he twisted them sharply so their positions were reversed and he was now controlling the languid pace. A small squeak of surprise from her as he snapped his hips against her, hard, pouring all his feelings into action rather than fumbling with words and secrets he could not bring himself to speak. 

She was exquisite; her flesh slick and hot and yielding easily under him. Her moans filled the room as he quickened his pace; the headboard now beginning to hit the wall from the force of his thrusts. Molten pleasure flooded his veins with each rock of their hips, the sensation overwhelming after a thousand years without touch. All composure was lost to him now; he panted, snarled and grunted from the effort of learning her body with his own. When her body grew rigid beneath his he poured his magic into her again, holding her close as she came again with a silent gasp in his arms. 

He slowed his pace slightly with the intention of allowing her to recover, but her hands snapped to his ass, pushing him deeper. 

"Solas, finish in me." Her voice was weak, pleading. "Please." 

And he could not deny her, nor his body any longer. Burying his face into the crook of her neck he let himself go, bringing himself to the very edge. A burst of white behind his eyelids, his body shook from the quiet intensity of the orgasm coursing through every fiber of his body as a series of small gasps escaped him. Ashanna let out a small moan of her own when she felt him release inside her, her nails digging into his shoulders. His lips parted hers, his tongue meeting her own in a kiss that tasted of desperation. 

A moment that seemed to last a thousand years stretched until they both relaxed on their sides boneless against one another, her leg slung over his hips. His bed was narrow, and did not afford much room for them to spread out. 

It did not seem to bother either of them.

"Um," she mumbled, her voice sounding raw and hitched. 

"Indeed," He agreed. 

They lay like that for some time, each holding the other while they allowed their thundering hearts a chance to calm. Solas could not recall a time he felt more at ease. He imagined them repeating this dance the next night, and for many others. 

Perhaps for longer still. It would require much thought on the subject. Truthfully it was a terrifying thought. The tender look in her eyes was enough to make him rethink everything. Would she look at him thus once she knew his true name? The name her people cowered at and left offerings so that he would not turn his gaze to them? 

His face must have clearly showed his turmoil as she placed her hands on his cheeks and turned his head up towards hers. "You're thinking unpleasant things," she said simply. 

"It is a habit of mine. Forgive me, _vhenan._ It is...difficult to explain." The understatement of an age. 

She smiled gently, making his heart swell and head pound. "You don't have to explain unless you want to." 

He remained silent, digesting her words. 

"I'm sorry I avoided you after we returned," Ashanna admitted after the silence stretched uncomfortably between them. 

"It is not something I require an apology for. You are entitled to your own reactions." 

"Yes, I am aware of that. I knew that when I was avoiding you. It was stupid. I reacted purely emotionally even though it had nothing to do with you." 

"Most people normally respond from emotion first, logic second," Solas cocked his head to the side. "Though I admit, it is something I do not see often from you." 

"The nightmare demon knew exactly how to push my buttons to get a reaction. Before we left for Adamant I had received a missive from Clan Lavellan. It was...." her voice choked, her eyes shifting to stare at the wall rather than him. "My keeper was stating this would be the last time I would hear from her." 

Solas steeled his face, rubbing circles into her back as she struggled with her words. It was understandable that this would be upsetting for her. Though he could not comprehend why her clan would be so foolish as to cut contact off completely. It was absurd to think; she was a steadily growing force in Thedas; an elf that had been raised to an object of worship to the humans that oppressed them. Allying themselves as the clan that raised her would only benefit them. If they shunned her, it was due to foolish prejudices or superstition.

"They are fools to not realize what you offer them," He remarked, not bothering to hide the contempt he felt. 

Her face flushed. "You don't understand. They only see what they expected me to do for years. Run away from my duties just like my traitor father. I am and always will be _Harellan'ashalan."_

 

***

Elvish Translation

 _ar garemah_ \- I'm about to come  
_Ha’mi’in, ma’lath_ \- Relax, my love  
_Ma Nuvenin_ \- As you wish  
_Harellan'ashalan_ \- Daughter of a traitor (cobbled together from project elvhen; may not be totally accurate)

**Author's Note:**

> *Ashanna Lavellan is my personal Inquisitor, she showed up in another work for a kmeme that I've decided is not canon. 
> 
> **I hope the Solas POV is acceptable, this fic has sat on my hard drive for some time unfinished because I was feeling really critical of my take on his mindset.


End file.
